Cabot Circus people

Emma Carlisle is the manager of the new Cruise boutique which will be in Quaker's Friars. Make sure you come back soon for more updates.

I thought I'd start with some basics. My name is Emma Carlisle. I am forever 29 and currently the Assistant Store Manager of Cruise in Chester which was recently voted one of the 50 Best Boutiques in Britain in the Sunday Telegraph's Stella Magazine.

I have a passion for fashion and my shoe collection is one that any Carrie Bradshaw would be proud to own! I was lucky enough to have been successful with my application for Store Manager of the new Bristol store, situated in Quaker's Friars, so over the coming weeks, will be relocating, recruiting and getting to know this fantastic city.

However, until today it didn't seem real. I have only visited Bristol once before to interview for staff and it was really during these couple of days that I began to think wow! Not only what an amazing place, but what a high calibre of applicants.

"5am starts, 14 hour days and turbine engine planes..."

Emma Carlisle

Today, I arrived early as I was due to attend a Bristol Alliance meeting with Cruise's Retail Director, Stuart Margetts. It was very informative and made it all very real. Topics included trading hours, 9.30am till 8pm Monday to Saturday. 11am till 5pm Sunday. Open all year round apart from Christmas Day. Recruitment, Marketing and Public Transport were also discussed. 

After the meeting I finally went on site. The exciting bit! However, that was not before purchasing my builders boots, (two sizes too big….) high visibility jacket and had hat. Off came the Giuseppe Zanotti shoes and Vivienne Westwood cardigan and within minutes I was transformed into a building site groupie.

Stuart and I, with the help of our site manager Chris, went to view what is going to be my store. On two floors, it promises to be one of the most glamorous and boutique style stores around. It is of course still early days, so imagination was needed, but as I walked around I had butterflies in my stomach as I realised that this is all going to happen.

Downstairs will be mens clothing, a jeans bar and footwear, bags and accessories area. On the second floor it will be womenswear, footwear, bags and accessories. I was able to view what would be the staff room, offices, stockrooms, toilets and it made me feel so excited.

There's still a lot of work to be done, but with our staff recruited and training soon underway we are looking forward to introducing our brand to Bristol.

More soon!